The 1996 Masters is notable for being the last time Tiger Woods failed to make the cut at Augusta National – one year before he secured his first major victory on Georgia’s hallowed turf.

Many will remember the 1996 Masters for the collapse of Greg Norman on Sunday, with the Australian starting the final round six shots clear of Nick Faldo. Faldo ended up winning by five after Norman’s 78.

But it was also the year that Tiger Woods made his final appearances as an amateur in the majors. Woods ended up missing the cut by four shots after shooting six-over par for the opening two rounds.

Nevertheless, it would still prove to be an extremely memorable week for the boy wonder.

Tiger Woods reflected on his practice round with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer ahead of the 1996 Masters

Woods played alongside Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus during a practice round on the eve of the tournament, while he also joined the two greats for the Par-Three Contest that same day.

The pair had won 10 Green Jackets between them, with Nicklaus’ most recent victory coming a decade earlier. He would also go on to finish ahead of Woods in sixth place in 1998.

“I think it was my last Masters as an amateur, so I was 20. I played with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus on Wednesday of The Masters, played all day, and then was fortunate enough to go out there in the Par-Three Contest and continue playing with them for another nine holes. I got to play 27 holes with two of the greatest players to ever play the game,” he said.

“We talked about all number of different things. I kept asking them questions, I was so excited. We were playing skins, and obviously giving each other needle at times.

“Jack did [win]. Jack birdied the last hole to take all the skins from us, as always.”

The prediction Jack Nicklaus made about Tiger Woods after their practice round at Augusta National

Nicklaus and Palmer were clearly impressed by what they saw from Woods, and they were not afraid to put the pressure on his shoulders.

In fact, Nicklaus claimed that both he and Palmer believed that Woods could win The Masters more often than the pair of them combined.

Woods would obviously not be able to reach those heights, but he did not do too badly. His emotional 2019 victory was his fifth at The Masters, while he still holds the record for the largest winning margin, having finished 12 shots clear of his closest rival in 1997.

Funnily enough, Woods’ five wins puts him directly behind Nicklaus and Palmer on the list of the most successful players in Masters history.